Liberals leading in Quebec

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This article was published 29/03/2025 (220 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL – Federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s first week on the campaign trail has showcased his imperfect command of French and gaps in his understanding of Quebec.

But so far it hasn’t seemed to matter, with the Liberals leading by a wide margin in Quebec polls.

Experts say the threats of U-S President Donald Trump mean Quebecers are more likely to overlook Carney’s French.

On Monday, Carney’s team announced he wouldn’t participate in the French-language T-V-A debate, effectively cancelling it — the move was seen as a way to shield him from a poor performance.

He also mixed up the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre with another shooting at Concordia University in 1992.

Carney also made some blunders during the Liberal leadership campaign, including when he mistakenly said he agreed with Hamas during a French-language debate.

Political watchers in Quebec say his French is similar to that of former prime minister Stephen Harper in his first years in office, and it could get better with practice.

But some say Carney will need to make an effort to prove he understands important issues in Quebec.

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